For KIX, not recording any new music for two decades has been far too long. Fans have made it known for years that they want new music. And now, the time has finally come. The Maryland band is primed and ready toROCK YOUR FACE OFFwith their seventh new album set for release August 5 on Loud & Proud Records. It’s everything fans know and love them for: a raucous, roaring and real display of rock ‘n’ roll. The first single, “Love Me With Your Top Down,” will be released to radio and online retail outlets later this month. As guitarist Brian “Damage” Forsythe explains, “When we first played ‘Love Me With Your Top Down’ live just a few months ago, it went over like gangbusters with the fans. It’s a catchy little tune with classic KIX flavor, a perfect choice for the first taste of the record.”

What makes the new album even more exciting and anticipated is that it features most of the band’s original line-up: Steve Whiteman (vocals), Brian “Damage” Forsythe (guitar), Ronnie “10/10” Younkins (guitar), Jimmy “Chocolate” Chalfant (drums), with the exception of Mark Schenker (bass).

With ROCK YOUR FACE OFF, KIX stirs up their truest statement to date in 2014. “It’s still hot women, fast cars, and great moments,” concludes Whiteman. “I want everybody to end up on their feet, whether they’re working out or stuck in rush hour traffic. This is a release, something to lift your spirits when you need it. You can party to this one.”

KIX gracefully eased back into the public consciousness in 2008. After sold out hometown gigs, the quintet hit the stage at Rocklahoma in front of over 20,000 people, venturing out of the Mid-Atlantic for the first time in 13 years. The band was hailed by many music websites and attendees as “Best Performance” at the festival, where they played alongside Sammy Hagar, Alice Cooper, Tesla, Queesryche, Ratt, and more. After capturing their fiery reunion on 2012’s LIVE IN BALTIMORE CD & DVD, the band agreed to enter the studio once again.

“In many ways, this is for the KIX diehards as much as it is for us,” guitarist Brian Forsythe explains. “When we started doing this again, tons of fans came out of the woodwork. They’d show up with their kids, and it was just incredible to see. We had to deliver for them.”

In order to deliver, the band enlisted the talents of producer Taylor Rhodes (Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne), with whom they had last collaborated on 1991’s HOT WIRE. Also, for the first time in the group’s history, each member contributed to the writing process, fostering an extremely creative and free environment in the studio. A new dawn commenced as they simultaneously harnessed their classic spirit.

“It was more free-flowing because everybody got to write and come up with ideas,” says singer Steve Whiteman. “We encouraged this new freedom within the creative process.”

Here’s the complete track listing of ROCK YOUR FACE OFF:

1. Wheels In Motion

2. You’re Gone

3. Can’t Stop The Show

4. Rollin’ In Honey

5. Rock Your Face Off

6. All The Right Things

7. Dirty Girls

8. Inside Outside Inn

9. Mean Miss Adventure

10. Love Me With Your Top Down

11. Tail On The Wag

12. Rock & Roll Showdown

Stay tuned for new tour news, but check them out at any of the following stops in the meantime:

DATECITYVENUE

Thu 7/10 Hughesville, PA Lycoming County Fair

Fri 7/25 Royalton, MN Halfway Jam

Thu 7/31 Leemore, CA Tachi Palace Casino

Sat 8/2 Leonardtown, MD Southern Maryland Brew & BBQ Fest

Sat 8/16 Greencastle, PA Greencastle Legion Grounds

Sat 9/13 Berlin, MD Soundwave Festival at Airlift Acres

Sat 9/20 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live

Sat 10/25 Camp Hill, PA Radisson Convention Center

Sat 12/20 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live (KIXmas)

About Loud & Proud Records

Loud & Proud Records is an independent record label founded in 2007 by Tom Lipsky whose mission is to provide a true and transparent partnership between artists and their record label. Labels under Lipsky’s direction in the past, including CMC International, Sanctuary Records Group and a joint-venture with Roadrunner Records, were responsible for new releases by Neil Young, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, KISS, Robert Plant, Rob Zombie, Morrissey, Lenny Kravitz, Iron Maiden, The Allman Brothers Band and more. Loud & Proud’s current roster includes five-time Emmy® Award winning actor and musician Jonathan Jackson and his band Enation, multi-platinum alternative band Flyleaf, supergroup rock band The Winery Dogs, renowned jam band The String Cheese Incident, multi-platinum country artists BlackHawk, Seattle’s alternative Walking Papers, critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Willie Nile and powerhouse rockers KIX. Loud & Proud Records is distributed in the U.S. and Canada by RED, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, and in the rest of the world by earMUSIC/Edel AG. Loud & Proud Records is a registered trademark of Lipsky Music, LLC.

At the M3 rock festival Ryo Vie and I, had the opportunity to meet and interview Kix front man, Steve Whiteman, before their show Friday night. Kix will be releasing their first new album since ’95 later this year, and we couldn’t be more excited to hear new music from Kix. Check out what Steve Whiteman had to say about the new album, and more!

Ryo Vie: I saw your show at Starland Ballroom at the beginning of April. Great Show!

Steve Whiteman: Oh Thank you, that’s a cool room. I love to play that room.

Ryo Vie: I loved your rant about Youtube, how there is no surprises anymore.

Steve Whiteman: That’s true, we are playing some new songs, and everyone will have them downloaded…next, bring on the new shit.

Rob Rockitt: Kix is going to release their first new album since 1995.

Steve Whiteman: We took a ten year break as we really thought the music was dead. Our genre of music was totally flushed. There was a new party in town and we were not invited. So we had to just move on and do other things with our lives. In the meantime, I started a band named Funny Money. We put out five CDs. It is not like we weren’t doing anything. four studio albums and one best of CD. Brian was in Rhino Bucket, and they put out a CD about every other week (laughs), and Ronnie has Blues Vultures. We were all writing and doing things but just not collectively. It is not like we weren’t producing music, but this whole concept of new record came from that live DVD, Live in Baltimore. The label we were with at the time, Frontiers, requested a studio album. We hadn’t really thought about it. All the fans, they don’t want to hear new shit.

Rob Rockitt: Yes we do!

Steve Whiteman: I know that now, but our train of thought they just want to see and hear the old shit that they grew up with. cause that’s the case with most bands. We wouldn’t go out and play a new album. We wouldn’t get out-of-town without doing “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”. That stuff is staples of our live show. Probably a good year went by and we were trying to find Taylor Rhodes, trying to track him down thinking he would be perfect to get involved to steer us in that Kix direction. He was a co-producer on a couple of records and a co-writer on some of the records with Donnie. Since Donnie wasn’t involved anymore. I don’t write like Donnie. That is why my songs weren’t on Kix records.

Rob Rockitt: I know Donnie was your primary song writer on past albums

Steve Whiteman: By command, not by choice

Rob Rockitt: so moving on to your new album, what was the song writing process like

Steve Whiteman: We were always writing, so when time came. We sent 40 songs to Taylor that we all put together and we left it up to Taylor to go through them, and listen to them and narrow it down to 15. We all go together and worked on the 15 as a band in the studio for the first time in twenty years. That was cool. There wasn’t one person running the show. It was everybody’s input and contribution. We worked on those songs, and in about a week’s time, they fell together nice. We thought yeah, we think this will work, let’s do it.

Rob Rockitt: The album has been done for a while hasn’t it.

Steve Whiteman: It has been done since the end of last summer, last fall.

Ryo Vie: What has caused the delay in getting it out.

Steve Whiteman: probably the whole Frontiers situation. They were being sued by the American Frontiers. It wasn’t a label but someone who owned the copyright to the name. Everything was pretty much on hold. We knew Tom Lipski from CMC, that is why we signed with Loud & Proud. We knew Tom would give us tender loving care and that we be a much better situation.

Ryo Vie: There were no ownership rights issues where Frontiers could have said hey those are our songs?

Steve Whiteman: There could have. We had to work out the legality thing to get that shit off the table.. It takes a really long time. Lawyers go back and forth, and back and forth. By the time we got off of it, we will probably pay the lawyers more than we make. But hey, the fans get new music.

Rob Rockitt: Does the album have a name?

Steve Whiteman: We are throwing that around now. We haven’t named it yet. I suggested New Shit.

Rob Rockitt: I love that!

Steve Whiteman: Everyone likes that but the record label. We are a funny band. What you gonna name the album…New Shit. I am campaigning, I don’t know if it will happen or not, but I am campaigning.

Ryo Vie: Switching gears, last year at M3 Kix did not headline that Friday night slot, and the fans were not happy.

Steve Whiteman: That was pretty much W.A.S.P.’s request. It wasn’t a demand on their end. We really don’t care. We have no ego’s whatsoever. We will go on third, we don’t give a shit. As long as we can get up in front of our fans and give them a good show, we know that our fans are going to be out there regardless. At their request, they would like to close the show. It was a little more firm than that, but we said ah go ahead. No hard feelings.

Rob Rockitt: Once the album hits, what are you planning to do touring wise.

Steve Whiteman: It is going to depend on the demand. The demand tells you where to go. If it doesn’t get any airplay, which I don’t know if it will or not. XM will jump on it. Some of the harder edged stations will jump on it. Trunk will play it. It is really going to get mainstream radio interested. I seriously doubt it. Kix? I didn’t play them when they were out the first time. (lots of laughter) I don’t know what to expect. We will go where the demand takes us.

Rob Rockitt: With so many of the classic bands with new music coming out in 2014, I am surprised that a multi-bill shed tour hasn’t been planned.

Steve Whiteman: I guest it costs too damn much to get on the road these days. Say if you put Tesla, Kix and Great White on the same bill, which is the tour we did 20 years ago, you could put that on a tour today and it would be really good. I don’t think the venues could pay us enough to keep hotels, crew, bus. I don’t think there is enough money to be made to do that. That is why we do the fly dates. You fly out the day before, they supply everything. The drums, backline, we fly home. Its simple, and its better than trucking around in a tour bus.

Ryo Vie: What about doing a residency at Hammerjack’s or somewhere in Baltimore.

Steve Whiteman: Hammerjack’s isn’t even real yet. I keep hearing about Hammerjack’s. It is someone’s dream at this point. We have been playing Ram’s Head for the last five years. It is a great venue with great crowds.

Rob Rockitt: One thing I have been curious about is, what is your work out regimen. You are in great shape.

Steve Whiteman: P90X. I’ve always worked out, and I got tired of doing the same thing. I kept hearing the ads for P90X. Mark, our bass player, his neighbor gave it to him, and he was doing it, and he said you should try this, since you are looking for something new. He gave it to me, and i’ve been doing it for three years. It is vigorous, but it works. I am in better shape now than I have ever been in my life.

Rob Rockitt: It has been well publicized that you were the teacher for Lzzy Hale.

Steve Whiteman: Yeah, I get way too much credit for that.

Rob Rockitt: How do you feel about that? Halestorm is doing great

Steve Whiteman: I am so proud of them. Don’t give me too much credit. The girl has all the talent in the world. She didn’t know how to put it together, how to prepare, or how to warm herself up, how to protect herself, and she didn’t project very well. That is really what I worked on with her.

Rob Rockitt: Do you have other students that you are working with now that could be the next big thing?

Steve Whiteman: I have some female students that are really talented that are 14-15 years old. Just like when Lzzy came to me. That is a special situation with Halestorm as their parents were so behind them. The parents home-schooled them, their whole career, they all worked together as a family to make that happen.. Most kids don’t have that. That is kind of a special story. It sure did pan out well.

Ryo Vie: Yes it did, indeed!

Rob Rockitt: What is the latest music you are listing to?

Steve Whiteman: The Winery Dogs. They blew me away on the boat. They were so good. I have had their CD for a while, but once I saw them , I said oh, now I really get it. It was like when I saw the Stones for the first time. I like the Stones, but when I saw them, whoa. How has anyone not heard Richie Kotzen at this point. He is phenomenal. He had his solo band on the ship, and they were almost as good as the Winery Dogs. They were just amazing.

Rob Rockitt: 35 years!

Steve Whiteman: Yeah so what (laughs)

Rob Rockitt: Did you ever think when you started out in the Shooz that you would still be doing it this long?

Steve Whiteman: that is kind of like saying, when am I going to die. You don’t put a time limit on it. As long as people are digging it, and you are doing it, and having a good time doing it, and making a living at it, you keep going. Stones, Aerosmith, all those bands that continue to do it, cause there is a love and a passion for it. Of course, they make a hell of a lot more money than they do, but they don’t need the money at this point in their life. They just do it because they love it. You don’t put a door or a window up. You just keep going forward. When nobody wants you anymore, I guess its done.

Rob Rockitt: There is an alarming trend right now, where a few bands from the 80’s are starting to put in their retirement notices, and starting to call it quits.

Steve Whiteman: That is because they are old and out of shape (laughs), they don’t do P90X. Going back to your other question, a band that my kids turned me on to, is a band called Fun.

Ryo Vie: That’s a good band.

Steve Whiteman: I really love that band. I’ve seen them live a couple of times. They are amazing. That guy (Nate Ruess) sings better than anybody I have ever heard. He is amazing, he is a good front man, the band is phenomenal. They play great songs. I hear my kids play their music all of the time, so I am real familiar with it. I drove them to the 9:30 club in D.C., I didn’t want them to drive to D.C. by themselves. When I got there, I was blown away. I had a great time. We saw them again here, when they played at Merriweather.

Ryo Vie: So you were the coolest dad in the world.

Steve Whiteman: Absolutely, for that evening anyway. It was a night like tonight, it was sold out. 20,000 people.

Rob Rockitt: In closing,the new album is coming out, what does the future hold for Kix?

Steve Whiteman: I don’t think of it like that. Whatever comes our way, if it makes sense we will do it. If we would get some airplay in Europe or Japan, we would probably hop over and do some shows there. You gotta wait and see what it brings, at this point, we won’t know until its out there an how it is accepted. It may tank, or it may slowly do something. If it does anything like the Winery Dogs, we would be blessed, but those guys are kinda good.

Last Friday night, the M3 Rock Festival started its Friday night KIX off party in style, with not one, not two, but 5 great bands to kick off this awesome annual pilgrimage of classic hard rock. The weather was abysmal, but that did not stop the record crowd from pouring into the Merriweather Post Pavilion

Baltimore’s Bad Seed Rising started off the show, with a tight set of heavy tunes. These young rockers sound great and have a lot of potential. If you haven’t checked them out yet, visit their Facebook page here.

We missed the first few songs from Winger, as we were busy talking to KIX frontman Steve Whiteman (Interview coming to HRH soon). We missed hearing the new Winger tunes from their new album Better Days Comin’, but we did see the band perform most of their classic hits including: “Can’t Get Enough”, “Down Incognito”, “Madalaine” and “Seventeen”. Kip Winger and company sounded great.

Lita Ford was up next, and Lita’s set was not without some surprises of its own. Lita’s former Runaway band mate Cherie Currie joined her on stage for some Runaways classics including “Cherry Bomb”, “American Nights” and “Queens of Noise”. It was a great rock moment, and completely unexpected.

Nothing could have prepared me for what came next. Extreme took the stage at M3 for the first time since the very first M3 in 2009. From the very first note, Extreme was on fire! Gary Cherone was looking great, and sounding even better. Nuno Bettencourt was a lot of fun to watch, as he laid down his incredible guitar licks for those classic Extreme tunes. Extreme pulled off one of the best performances of the weekend, and easily the best of the Friday Night KIX Off party. I can only hope that Extreme will put out some new music, and tour, even if it is on a limited basis. This one off performance was not enough. Hopefully they will get an invite to M3 2015.

Speaking of new music, Hagerstown heros, KIX were the headliners once again at M3 and deservedly so. 2014 was the first time we have heard NEW KIX tunes at M3, and the new songs “Can’t Stop The Show” and “Love Me With The Top Down” were great. KIX has a new album coming out in July, and it can’t get here soon enough. Once again, KIX’s set was outstanding. Steve Whiteman’s vocals were perfect, and Brian Forsythe and Ronnie Younkins guitars were great as well. KIX is the one band that I always look forward to seeing at M3 every year, and they did not disappoint.

The M3 Rock Festival got off to a great start, and as great as Friday night was, Saturday was even better. More on that soon! Check out our photo gallery from the Friday Night, below!

2014 is a very exciting year for KIX! Not only is the band returning as the Friday night headliner this coming Friday night (4/25) at the M3 Rock Festival, they are also releasing their first new album since 1995’s Show Business!

KIX always steals the show at M3, and will without question be one of the weekend highlights. If you have never seen KIX perform live, you have to come to the M3 Rock festival to perform.

The Sixth Annual M3 Rock Festival starts next Friday, and the 2014 lineup is stronger than ever. Each year, the fine folks at the Merriweather Post Pavillion bring in some of the finest classic rock acts in the U.S This year’s festival includes some first time acts at M3 including Autograph, Heaven’s Edge, Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel, Femme Fatale, and John Corabi. (Corabi has been at M3 before with RATT, but never as a solo artist).

Friday Night’s headliner is Kix, and Saturday Night’s is Tesla. If you haven’t had a chance to check out Queensryche with Todd La Torre, or Jack Russell’s Great White, look no further. If you haven’t seen Extreme, Night Ranger or Stryper live, don’t miss this excellent opportunity to see them perform.

Overall, it is seventeen bands for a reasonable price, and tickets are STILL available. Don’t miss your chance to check out one of the coolest music festivals of the year.

Look for KIX— Steve Whiteman (lead vocals), Jimmy Chalfant (drums, vocals), Ronnie Younkins (guitars), Brian Forsythe (guitars) and Mark Schenker (bass)—to release their first new album in almost two decades on July 22, thanks to their new partnership with Loud & Proud Records. What makes the project even more exciting and anticipated is that the album features the band’s original line-up, with the exception of Schenker on bass.

“The boys and I are so happy that our old friend, Tom Lipsky, has invited us to join the Loud & Proud family,” exclaims Whiteman. “We worked with Tom and Madelyn Scarpulla on our last studio album, SHOW BUSINESS, and we’re looking forward to working with them again with the release of the first new KIX album in almost 19 years! We’ll still be coming to a dump near you very soon!”

Loud & Proud Owner & President Tom Lipsky adds, “What I have always loved about KIX is they make rock ‘n roll fun. What I love about their new music is that it’s pure, genuine KIX music, straight up guitar rock with no compromise. They’re not chasing trends or trying to re-invent themselves. They’re simply doing what they do best…and now they can do it Loud and Proud!”

Marking the re-emergence of KIX in early-2000’s, the band had teamed up a few times a year to test the waters with reunion shows in the Maryland/Pennsylvania, which were very well received. Then in the summer of 2008, KIX performed outside the mid-Atlantic for the first time in 13 years at two of the biggest rock festivals in the U.S. Rocklahoma in Pryor, OK and Rock the Bayou in Houston, TX. The band was hailed by many music websites and attendees as “Best Performance” at both festivals, where they played alongside Sammy Hagar, Alice Cooper, Tesla, Queesryche, Ratt, and more.

As the demand for new music has never subsided and in fact has only increased over the last few years, the band decided that they can no longer ignore the overtures from their fans and are currently recording new KIX songs. The new album, due out summer 2014, is produced by Taylor Rhodes, who last worked with KIX on 1991’s HOT WIRE album. Rhodes has also written hit songs for Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne and Journey.

Stay tuned for new album news, which will be announced in the coming weeks, and check out KIX on tour at any of the following stops (with more to be announced soon):

DATECITYVENUE

Fri 4/25 Columbia, MD M3 Festival

Sat 5/24 Pryor, OK Rocklahoma

Sat 5/31 Sandusky, OH Ohio Bike Week

Fri 6/6 Vernal, UT Thunder Rocks

Sat 6/21 Idaho Falls, ID Rock The Falls

Fri 7/25 Royalton, MN Halfway Jam

Thu 7/31 Leemore, CA Tachi Palace Casino

About Loud & Proud Records:

Loud & Proud Records is an independent record label founded in 2007 by Tom Lipsky whose mission is to provide a true and transparent partnership between artists and their record label. Labels under Lipsky’s direction in the past (CMC International, Sanctuary Records Group) have been among the market leaders in the veteran artist space with releases by Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd, KISS, Robert Plant, Morrissey, Earth Wind & Fire, The Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Bad Company and more. In a previous joint-venture with Roadrunner Records, Loud & Proud was responsible for new albums by Rush, Lenny Kravitz, Rob Zombie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, KISS, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and The Steve Miller Band. Loud & Proud’s current roster includes five-time Emmy Award winning actor and musician Jonathan Jackson and his band Enation, supergroup rock band The Winery Dogs, renowned jam band The String Cheese Incident, multi-platinum country artists BlackHawk, Seattle’s alternative Walking Papers, critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Willie Nile, powerhouse rockers KIX and the classic Starship featuring Mickey Thomas. Loud & Proud Records is a registered trademark of Lipsky Music, LLC, and is distributed in the U.S. and Canada by RED and in the rest of the world by earMUSIC/Edel AG.

GLAM & HEAVY METAL RETURNS TO MERRIWEATHER I.M.P. PRESENTS 2013 M3 ROCK FESTIVAL IN ITS 5th YEAR M3 IS THE BIGGEST, BADDEST METAL SHOW DRAWING FANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

OFFICIAL M3 KIX-OFF PARTY & CONCERT FRIDAY, MAY 3 at 5:30pm 2013 M3 ROCK FESTIVAL SATURDAY, MAY 4 at 11am

2-Day and VIP Packages on sale Friday, January 25 10am EST through ticketfly.com If Available, Single-Day Tickets on-sale in the coming week.

The heavy metal time machine will turn back to the1980s and ‘90s when Bret Michaels Band, Twisted Sister, and W.A.S.P. will be among the 20 bands to take over Merriweather Post Pavilion, playing full sets of their glam rock and heavy metal hits. M3 fans won’t have to choose between bands with overlapping set times, since each band will play one at a time. The festival will take place on two separate stages, each simulcasting the other, giving fans the option to stay in one seat and watch all the bands as they appear on both stages, or fans can move from stage to stage without missing a note.

Each year VIP and Pavilion seats sell out in minutes. Two-day and VIP packages will go on sale Friday, Jan. 25th at 10am EST through ticketfly.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the 9:30 Club Box Office in Washington, D.C. If available, single-day tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks. For more information, visit http://www.ticketfly.com/ or http://www.m3rockfest.com

ABOUT I.M.P.
Formed in 1980, I.M.P. is a Bethesda, Md.-based concert promoter and event production company. In addition to launching the Virgin Festival in the U.S., the principals at I.M.P. own Washington DC’s legendary 9:30 Club, named the Top Club by Billboard Touring Awards and renowned as the premier place to see and hear cutting edge live music of all varieties. I.M.P. also programs and operates Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. Over the last 33 years, I.M.P. and the 9:30 Club have put on nearly 10,000 events, hosting millions of music fans.

If you have never had the opportunity to see Kix live in concert, then you are missing out on one of the greatest live acts in the history of hard rock music. Kix is a dynamic, amazing, intensely entertaining live band that is worth seeing multiple times. Fortunately for those fans who have never witnessed Kix in all of their phenomenal live glory, the band recently released a new live album, Live In Baltimore.

Live In Baltimore is Kix’s first live album in 20 years and it captures the sound of the band as they are now. Recorded at Rams Head in Baltimore, Maryland, Kix captured the experience of a live night with the band. And while the disc doesn’t tell the complete story of a KIx concert, it manages to capture the essence of what a Kix show is all about.

It is during the crowd interaction on “Cold Blood,” that the feeling of a Kix concert really comes together. Lead singer Steve Whiteman hams it up as he does best and getting the crowd involved in the song and the show. Part comedian, part front man, total legend, Steve Whiteman is at his best when he has a microphone in his hand and an audience to interact with. He would be enjoyable at a poetry reading.

There are only 12 songs featured on Live In Baltimore, but it’s enough to really whet the appetite and help fans who have seen the band in concert remember how great a live band Kix really is. With powerful renditions of classic Kix tunes including “Lie Like A Rug,” “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “Cold Blood,” and “Girl Money,” the extraordinary fun and live energy is manifested on each track. By the end of “Cold Blood,” if you aren’t dying to run out and see Kix live, then you may not be a fan of rock music. Kix gives it their all singing a fantastic version of one of their signature songs and involves the crowd in a great sing-along as only Steve Whiteman can do.

The fun continues throughout the record and comes to a climax during “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,” one of Kix’s most notorious songs and possible their best live interaction song. Whiteman leads the crowd through key parts of the song and tells his story of women hunting in his best “nice boy loses out again” voice. Whiteman plays the part of a ticked off guy who just missed out on another opportunity for a great night of fun and he plays it perfectly. Even after 30 years in the business, Whiteman is still believable as the guy who failed. It is probably why so many fans relate to and love him.

Live In Baltimore is not a substitution for the real thing, but if you are looking for something to hold you over until the next time Kix comes to your town, this will do nicely. If you have never seen the band live before, then this will provide a nice sampling of what it is like. If you are a long time fan of the band, you will simply love this record. Live In Baltimore is highly recommended to be added to the collection.

Frontiers Records is excited to announce the signing of US Hard Rockers KIX to the label. The return of the Maryland rockers will materialize with the worldwide release of the band’s first ever live DVD and CD release entitled “Live in Baltimore” on September 21st in Europe and September 25th in North America.

Since the band’s return to the national stage in 2008 with appearances at two of the biggest rock festivals in the US, Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma and Rock the Bayou in Houston, TX , KIX has amassed a large number of successful live shows all across the USA, with regular appearances at festivals, casinos and biker rallys, culminating with headlining the hugely successful M3 Festival in Columbia, MD two years in a row. The new live CD / DVD is packed with fan favorites and a choice catalog of great hard rock KIX songs recorded live in Baltimore, MD.

As the demand from the fans for new KIX music has never subsided and in fact has only increased over the last few years, band members have decided that they can no longer ignore the overtures from the fans and are writing new KIX songs for a new album due out on Frontiers Records in 2013.

Singer Steve Whiteman stated « This is a great thing for us and we hope it’s a great thing for KIX fans all around the world. We are so thrilled to finally be able to give the fans what they have been asking for, a live DVD and new KIX music in 2013! We have been hard at work getting new material together that we think will stand shoulder to shoulder with any previous KIX record. It’s a really exciting time for KIX !

KIX lineup includes original members Steve Whiteman, Jimmy Chalfant, Ronnie Younkins and Brian Forsythe with Mark Schenker on bass.

” Live in Baltimore ” will be released in a CD/DVD configuration with the following tracklisting :

Another M3 Festival has come and gone leaving behind only the memories. 2012 was once again a great year for the M3 festival, and although Saturday’s portion of the show had a few hiccups and missed cues, overall, the festival was fantastic. A fun filled day of hard rocking, hair metal music, after a fun filled night of the same. As usual both days of the festival flew by and before I knew it, I was on my way home with a music hangover.

As with any major music production, there were plenty of highs, a few lows, and some pleasant surprises. Let’s look at each of these in a little more detail, shall we? Welcome to this very special 3-part edition of Vie’s Verses.

The Highs

WOMEN
Let’s start with the good stuff. There were a lot of great things to see at the 2012 M3 Festival, but one of the most immediately noticeable was all of the beautiful women. It’s great to know that hair metal still has women who love the music and look terrific. It’s also great to know that there are younger women who love hair metal and look terrific! Now granted, I am a happily married man, but if I wasn’t, the M3 festival is where I would go to find the next love of my life. These beauties were absolutely stunning! As Steve Whiteman said from the stage, “There are no ugly women here!” Well stated, Steve.

KIX
For the second year in a row, KIX headlined night one (dubbed the Kix-Off Party) and once again produced an amazing performance. I am always in awe of the energy that Steve Whiteman and Kix bring to the stage each time they perform live. This latest performance was no exception. Whiteman and company brought the goods in both the songs they played and the energy they performed them with. Classic Kix hits were all done to perfection, including surprises like “Lie Like A Rug.” And while Whiteman stated that Night Ranger should have headlined the show, there is no replacement for Kix. They were the true headliners of the evening.

STRYPER

One of the best performances at this year’s M3 was also one of the shortest (see Part Two: The Lows). Stryper came on during the early part of Saturday and after having to do a quick live sound check, they kick-started their 6-song performance with passion. Reach Out, Free, Calling On You, To Hell With The Devil, Soldiers Under Command, and Sing-Along Song were all performed during the condensed set. Each song was performed note perfect and Michael Sweet still has the range to hit all of the notes on every song. And while I would have loved to hear him sing Honestly (to truly test his range), the M3 guffaw to start the Saturday show prevented that from happening. All in all though, Stryper was the best performance of day two. I hope that they return next year as headliners.

QUEENSRYCHE

Wow! Geoff Tate not only looks great, but the man can still sing too! Queensryche absolutely blew me away during their performance. I had never been a huge Queensryche fan, I only own two albums and one of them is Hear In The Now Frontier, so I did not know a lot of the songs they performed. However, that didn’t matter. Their performance was so mesmerizing and intense, that I was mystified by all of the songs. And while I may not run out and buy their entire back catalog, if Queensryche were to schedule a future show near me, I would certainly have to check it out. Having never seen Queensryche before, my first experience was a grand one.

WARRANT

Once again, Warrant with Robert Mason made me a believer and renewed my membership in the Warrant fan club. This is the best that Warrant has sounded since Cherry Pie. Warrant not only performed all of their massive hits, they also took the time to play new material from their latest release, Rockaholic. The new songs sounded as fantastic as the classic material and if you’re a Warrant fan, I hope that you have a copy of Rockaholic. If not, you need to purchase it. Robert Mason looked as buff and beautiful as ever and his voice and energy has not shortened one bit. The rest of the band seemed rejuvenated by Mason’s lead and they all brought the energy of the early 90s with them. By watching Warrant perform, you would have sworn they were headlining a huge arena, not serving as a middle act for the M3 Festival. In a perfect world, Warrant would be one of the top bands on next year’s bill, perhaps co-headlining with Stryper. Hmmmm, maybe these two bands should get together for a summer tour? I know that I would go see that.

What can I say about Kix that hasn’t already been said? They are the only band that has played each and every year at M3, and I can’t imagine this festival without them. They proved once again why they deserve the headlining slot at M3 on Friday night, by turning in another energetic set of kick ass rock and roll. Kix blasted out the tunes “Hot Wire”, “Heartache”, “The Itch”, “Same Jane”, “Cold Shower”, “Girl Money”, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”, “No Ring Around Rosie”, “Lie Like a Rug”, “Midnite Dynamite”, “Cold Blood” “Blow My Fuse” and an encore with the crowd favorite “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”. I am pretty sure 80% of the folks in attendance were singing along. (It sounded that way anyway.)

Overall, I thought the Kix off party was a big success for M3. This show seemed to have a lot more people in attendance than the Kix off party (Friday Night) in 2011. I hope M3 will bring Kix back again in 2013. My only disappointment was, I thought Kix’s set could have been a little longer. I was hoping they would at least play a couple of extra songs on their encore, but they only played one. I missed hearing “Red Light, Green Lite, TNT”, and “Sex”, but their set was still great, and I am extremely glad I got to see Kix again. They were easily one of the best bands of the M3 Rock Festival in 2012.

How can you possibly pass up a hometown headlining show from KIX?!? At the Kick off Party tonight at the M3 Rock Festival, Night Ranger, Enuff Znuff and KIX will be taking the stage. This is the only festival where KIX will headline! If you haven’t ever seen KIX perform live before, you are truly missing out on one of Hard Rock music’s great treasures. Lead Singer Steve Whiteman, is a tremendous front man, and knows how to ignite a crowd. Kix is easily one of the best bands at the M3 rock festival, each and every year. That is why they keep getting asked to return.

Tonight’s show at M3 is going to rock, and you all should be there! The M3 Rock Festival is happening today, and tomorrow at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. Don’t miss out one of the best music festivals of 2012!!!

In 2009, at the first M3 Rock Festival, many of us thought Kix should have headlined that show. They were much better than the bands they played before (RATT, & Twisted Sister).

In 2010, they were stuck behind Vince Neil, Cinderella & The Scorpions, and again they should have been much higher on the bill.

Like Steve Whiteman mentioned during the show, M3 is probably the only place where Kix could headline, and this year Kix got the respect they deserve by headlining the Friday night show on Day 1 of the M3 Rock Festival.

I have seen Kix a few times over the years, but this was easily the longest set I have ever seen the band perform live. Kix’s set list went something like this: “No Ring Around Rosie”, “Atomic Bombs”, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”, “Sex”, “The Itch”, “Hot Wire”, “Girl Money”, “Cold Shower”, “Blow My Fuse”. The Encore had the following songs: “Kix Are for Kids”, “For Shame”, “Midnite Dynamite”, and “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”.

I don’t know how old Steve Whiteman is, but the man has more energy than most singers I have seen. He is an incredible performer, and his energy on stage is completely infectious. Trying to capture images of him live is a daunting task, as he is always moving on stage.

Once again, Kix was one of the major highlights at M3. Kix still sounds amazing in 2011, and their performance at M3 was second to none.

I wish I had the opportunity to see these guys more than once a year, but with the performance Kix put on, they ought to be the first band on the bill for the 2012 M3 Rock Festival.

Now if we could only get the band to record some new tunes. I bet there are many of us that would love to have a new Kix album!! One can only hope……….

In 2009, Kix nearly stole the show at the M3 rock festival, and in 2010, they repeated that effort!! Why Kix was so far down on the bill seems like a crime to me. There were better than most of the bands that they opened up for. I don’t know what fountain of youth Kix front man Steve Whiteman has tapped into, but I would certainly like some of that stuff. Whiteman is an explosive front man with more energy than singers half his age. The way he jumps and dances around on stage, you would think that he is a teenager. More importantly, are his vocals which are spot on perfect. Overall, he is just a lot of fun to watch and listen to. I can’t give all of the credit to Steve Whiteman though, as the band backing him up are totally awesome. Ronnie Younkins and Brian Forsythe do a terrific job playing guitar, and Jimmy Chalafant continues to prove why he is the best man to hit the skins for Kix. (On a side note, is it just me or does Ronnie Younkins look like Steven Tyler’s brother?)

Kix’s set list included the songs (in no certain order) “Blow My Fuse”, “Sex”, “Cold Shower”, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”, “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”, “Cold Blood”, and “Girl Money”. There were probably a few more songs too, but I was too busy rockin’ than writing them all down.

The only song that I didn’t really care for was “Yeah, Yeah Yeah” which got very crude in this extended version of the song. That was the only downfall, and aside from that, they were excellent. If you have never seen Kix live, you owe it to yourself to at least make it out to M3, or one of the band’s local shows in Maryland. The band kicks ass, and they were easily one of the best at M3 in 2010. Check out Kix’s website for tour dates. I can only hope that Kix will stay together to write some new tunes. They still have every bit of the energy and talent that made them famous.

You can watch a couple of the video clips and check out our pictures of the show below!

Camping spaces are now on sale for the 2nd annual Midwest Rockfest. The festival will feature a variety of camping options and VIP packages to make this Rock n’ Roll weekend an unforgettable experience for everyone. Midwest Rockfest is slated for July 23-24, 2010 at the beautiful Lake Afton, in Wichita, Kansas and is produced by DEA Entertainment Group, of Arkansas City, Kansas.

Due to the excitement and success of last year’s concert series, we have made the MWRF into a multi-day event. Come SHAKE AND BAKE ON THE LAKE July 23rd & 24th at Lake Afton in Sedgwick County, Wichita, Kansas!

Bands already announced include CLASSIC ROCK sensation STYX and TWISTED SISTER, who is bringing their new show to the US. WE HAVE THE DATE! Also on the bill Pop Evil, Y&T, Winger, Kix and many more to be announced soon. VERY SOON! Check our website for at www.midwestrockfest.com for updates and to win great prizes!!

I must admit that I was pretty excited when I first read about the lineup for the M3 festival in Columbia, Maryland. Unlike Rock Gone Wild, and Rocklahoma, this is a one day festival, cram packed with more classic hard rock acts that you can handle in one day. There was several bands on this festival’s roster that I have not seen before, so it was a complete no-brainer. I made the trek to Columbia, MD Friday night. Sure it took roughly 8 hours each way by car, but it was well worth it, in my opinion.

The weather was perfect for the event. It was hot and sunny all day, and the crowd for M3 filled up the stands pretty quick.

Before most folks made into the festival, they were greeted by the heavy beats of Carmine Appice’s SLAMM. I only caught the tail end of their performance, but it seemed pretty cool for the most part. This wasn’t SLAMM’s scheduled set time, as they played later on in the festival. Their early performance helped to generate excitement amongst the large crowd filing into the venue.

The festival kicked off with former Guns N’ Roses and Kill for Thrills Guitarist, Gilby Clarke. Gilby’s set was short, but he fired off some of my favorite songs of his including “Tijiuana Jail“ and “Cure Me or Kill Me“. He even threw in “Be Yourself” from the Rockstar: Supernova CD. Imagine That! I never expected to hear a song from this CD again. I think Gilby handled it better than Lukas Rossi.

After Clarke’s set, I had to pick and choose which bands I wanted to see play live because several of the set times over lapped. I HATED this part of the festival. I genuinely like every band on the bill, and wanted the chance to see every band perform. This was not possible, so I had to sacrifice one band over another several times throughout the day. I don’t think this was fair to the bands, or to the fans who paid to see them.

The first choice was Y&T vs. XYZ. Y&T beat out XYZ in the battle of the alphabet bands,and rightly so. Y&T is celebrating their 35th anniversary in 2009, and I wasn’t budging from my seat. This band doesn’t know where Cincinnati, Ohio is on the map (they never play in my hometown), so I couldn’t wait to see them play. Dave Meniketti and company blasted out a rocking set of tunes that spanned over their vast career including, “Dirty Girl”, “Black Tiger”, “Mean Streak”, and “Summertime Girls”. My only complaint is that their set was too short. I would have loved to have heard some more Y&T songs. Some friends of mine were at the XYZ stage, and said XYZ put on a hell of a show as well. I guess you win some and you lose some. I enjoyed Y&T and I hope the rock gods will be kind enough to offer me another chance to see this band, when they can play a full show.

The next band dilemna after Y&T was Slaughter vs. Jetboy. I like Slaughter, but this was no competition for me at all. I immediately ran over to the second stage to check out Jetboy’s set. I got there early, and was front and center for the show.

Jetboy guitarist Billy Rowe was having some sound issues to start the show, but the crew got him fixed up pretty quickly. Jetboy rocked the crowd hard, and put on an extremely tight set of tunes. Out of all of the bands at M3, I would say Jetboy was in the top 2 as far as the performance they gave. These guys should have played on the main stage for sure. Mickey Finn’s vocals were great, and his bright green Mohawk made him one of the most photogenic rockers of the day. The whole band was on fire during this set. Fernie Rod and Billy Rowe’s playing was great. I didn’t know who to keep an eye on. Billy was blasting away on the slide guitar, and Fernie was adding in his awesome licks. Michael Butler is a pretty fun bass player to watch as well. This guy knows how to get a crowd going. New drummer Doug Hovan didn’t miss a beat. Those that hung out for Jetboy’s set got treated to some classic Jetboy tunes including “Feel The Shake”, and “Heavy Chevy”. They also a played a few new unreleased songs that were nothing short of A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!. I can’t wait to see what fans reactions are when they hear these songs. Prepare to be blown away!!

Next up on the main stage was Jani Lane and his new solo band featuring Kerri Kelli from Alice Cooper on Guitar. Jani’s set consisted primarily of Warrant tunes (no surprise there), and a brand new unreleased track. Jani’s voice sounded good, as did his band. Jani has always managed to attract some pretty good guitar players, and Kerri Kelli is definitely one of the better ones. I like Jani Lane and I wanted to stay for more songs, but he is coming to my hometown in a couple of months, and I will definitely be going to see him then. I hung out for 3 or 4 songs, and ran back to stage two for the Bulletboys.

Marq Torien might be the only original member left of the Bulletboys, but this band does not rock any less. I didn’t make it over for the start of their set, but I did catch three or four of their songs before I had to depart for my Jetboy interview. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to hear “Smooth Up In Ya”, but I will definitely catch the Bulletboys on their tour with Faster Pussycat later this year.

I met up with Fernie Rod and Billy Rowe, for a really cool sit down interview, which I will post at HRH later this week. By the time our interview was done, Dokken was finishing up their set. They sounded ok from where I was standing, and I was able to catch Jon Levin wailing away on those infamous George Lynch solos.

I quickly ran back up to stage two to catch Steel Panther perform. I didn’t expect much from these guys, but you know what…. I loved their set. Their songs are a really good hair metal parody, but they are so good at what they do, you can’t help but like them. I must admit that the only songs that I knew were “Death To All But Metal” and “Fat Girl”, but I liked all of the tunes they performed. I will certainly pick up their CD when it becomes available. I couldn’t stay for Steel Panther’s entire set either, as I didn’t want to miss one minute of Kix’s set. I ran back down the hill to stage one and got there right before Kix took the Stage.

The best performance of the day, easily goes to Kix. They were absolutely fantastic. Maryland obviously has a strong appreciation for their band, and rightfully so. Kix’s excellent set included the following songs (in no certain order): “Midnight Dynamite”, “Itch”, “Get It White It’s Hot”, “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” , “Cold Blood”, “Blow My Fuse”, “Girl Money” and a bunch more. Singer Steve Whiteman is every bit as good as the day he started this band. Ronnie Younkins and Brian Forsythe have to be one of the most under appreciated guitar tandems in rock today. Kix’s set was so good, they could have closed this show, and everyone would have been happy. Luckily, there was plenty of rock left on this day. I ran back up the hill to stage two to catch L.A. Guns.

This L.A. Guns is the version with Phil Lewis, Steve Riley, Scotty Griffin and Stacey Blades. The same lineup has been together for quite a few years now and sound great. Stacey Blades might not be Tracii Guns, but he is a damn good guitarist, and does a great job on these classic L.A. Guns tunes. Phil Lewis made this rock fan feel old by mentioning that 2009 was the 20th anniversary of the Cocked & Loaded CD. Good Grief…has it been 20 years already? I enjoyed their short set.

Extreme’s set over lapped with L.A. Guns so I missed the beginning of their show. I really wanted to stay for the whole Extreme set too, but the end of their set overlapped with KEEL’s. From what I could tell, Gary Cherone sounded exactly the same, and Nuno Bettencourt was amazing as always. I enjoyed the few songs that I got to hear.

I quickly ran back up the hill (are you seeing a pattern here) to catch the start of KEEL’s set. Judging from what I could tell from KEEL, I should have stayed to watch Extreme. I don’t know what the deal was, but something was missing in KEEL’s performance. I think Ron Keel may have been having some sound issues as his voice did not seem very loud in a few songs. He was using a wireless microphone, and this could have been oen of the problems. I thought his voice was a lot smoother, and no where near as coarse as it was back in the 80’s. It was this coarseness that gave KEEL such a cool metal sound, and I didn’t hear it during their set. They played songs from all of their albums which was cool, but I kept feeling like this was a phone in perfomance. Some of the songs from the KEEL set list was (in no order): “Cherry Lane”, “The Right to Rock”, “Speed Demon”, “Because The Night” and a few more. I hope I get the chance to see KEEL again. I love their music, and they definitely deserve a second chance. I had high expectations for KEEL at M3, and the band didn’t meet them.

I headed back down the hill one final time for RATT & Twisted Sister. I wanted to see Carmine Appice’s SLAMM, but I was ready to see two full sets of music before I called it a day.

RATT was up next, and they did not disappoint me. Pearcy’s voice sounded pretty good for the most part, and Warren DeMartini was awesome. He has been one of my favorite guitarists for a long time, and he did not disappoint. My seat for the main stage event was on the far right hand side of the stage, and the sight line wasn’t the greatest. I immediately realised that the rhythm guitarist was not Carlos Cavazo, but appeared to be John Corabi. His hair was a little different since the last time I saw him, and I almost didn’t recognize him. The one thing I have noticed the last couple of times that I have seen RATT is that Corabi kind of stands off to the side and lets the rest of the band do their thing. I don’t know if there is bad blood there, or what the deal is. Corabi is a terrific musician and singer, but I wonder how happy he is in RATT. Aside from that, I enjoyed RATT’s set. Their set list included: “Lay It Down”, “You’re In Love”, “Back For More”, “Wanted Man” and much to my surprise and enjoyment, “Nobody Rides For Free’ (From the Point Break Movie soundtrack).

Twisted Sister took the stage around 9:30, and immediately was experiencing sound issues. JJ French did not have any sound to start the show, and it took quite a while for the Twisted Sister crew to get him fixed up. After the inital snafu’s at the beginning of their set. Twister Sister kicked some major ass to close out the M3 festival. This was my first experience seeing Twisted Sister and a couple of things surprised me. These guys talk a lot during their shows. Dee Snider was pretty funny, but did he really need to continue to advertise his House of Hair Radio show during Twisted Sister’s set? Was JJ French’s rant about American Idol really necessary? Twisted Sister needs to play more and talk less during their shows, in my opinion. Aside from too much talking, I loved Twisted Sister. Their set was high energy, hair flinging fun, and the band really does try to put on the best show possible. Their set list included the following songs: “Under the Blade”, ‘Horror-teria”, “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, “Burn in Hell”, “The Price”, and I Wanna Rock”. Twisted Sister’s set was a great ending to an amazing day at Merriweather Post Pavillion. I hope they make this an annual event. If they do, I will be back!!

Today is the last day for early bird ticket prices $99 for general admission.
After today the price for general admissions jumps to $125. Rock the Bayou will take place August 29th – September 1st in Houston, Texas

Looking at the list of acts above, this lineup may not excite a lot of people, but I would still like to see it. I love Tracii Guns, but I make no bones about it, that I prefer the Phil Lewis version of this band. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see their set.

Chip Z’Nuff mentioned in the Rocklahoma that a new Enuff Z’nuff album is on the way with Jake E. Lee on guitar. I am not sure if Jake E. Lee will be with them at Rocklahoma, but if so, this is a show not to be missed.

I haven’t ever seen Vain live, but I have heard a lot of good things about them. I would be happy to check them out.

House of Lords is still putting out new music, and has a new CD that will hit stores in a couple of weeks. Their last album, World Upside Down was quite good. James Christian is a very good singer, and the band features the talent of axe slinger Jimi Bell. Count me in!

I had the pleasure of seeing Jetboy live in Columbus (See this article for the concert review with videos). The band was excellent alive. I wouldn’t miss this their set for anything.
Tracii Guns mentioned in the Rocklahoma press conference that he hated opening for these guys, as they used to blow him off the stage. Jetboy was originally signed to MCA, and as with most acts on that label, never got the proper support they deserved. They are going to open up a lot of eyes at Rocklahoma.

Bret Michaels mentioned at the press conference that this will be a big show with pyro etc when he closes out on Thursday night. It sounds as if he wants to make this every bit of fun as a Poison show. He also mentioned that a special area will be set up where you can meet him in person, get an autograph, and a picture, and talk music with him. With Rock of Love being the #1 show on cable televison, there will be a lot of people waiting in line to meet Bret, without question. I don’t know much of his solo music, so I can’t say if his solo set is something I would want to check out. I will likely check out his solo disc that is supposed to hit in June.

Strangely enough, most of the bands on the Friday schedule, I have not seen live. For them to all be on the same bill together is quite cool. I wouldn’t want to miss one band on the Friday night line up.

XYZ was quite similar to Dokken. Terry Ilous said that this will be the first time the band has played together is several years. It should be an interesting set, and it will good to hear some of their tunes again.

Armored Saint is easily the heaviest band on the main stage for the entire 4 day event, and is a no miss act, in my opinion. Their CD, Symbol of Salvation, is still one of my favorites.

Kingdom Come always took a lot of crap for being a Led Zeppelin clone when they first came out. Nonetheless I like their first two CD’s, but I haven’t cared for their more recent material. I am not sure what the lineup will be for this show. I am guessing it will be Lenny Wolf and a bunch of hired hands. I will have to see what I can find out on this one. I have low expectations for this part of the show.

There are plenty of Night Ranger songs that I have enjoyed over the years. They put out a new CD in 2007, which I still haven’t checked out yet. Jack Blades, Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy are a very talented group. I wouldn’t dare miss this set.

Triumph and Extreme are co-headlining Friday night. This is one of the few appearances that Triumph is making
in 2008. Rik Emmett always puts on a good show. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.

Extreme is back together again with Gary Cherone, Nuno Bettencourt, and Pat Badger. They are working on new
material for a 2008 release. I would be happy to see Nuno play live, in any capacity. I am glad to see him return to the band that made him famous.

There is also one band that has not been announced for Friday. I am not sure who this will be, but the lineup is already a solid one.

The Saturday Lineup has a lot of question marks for me, but could turn out to be a solid day of rock.

My understanding is that Pretty Boy Floyd has completely reunited. This isn’t the watered down version of the band that Steve Summers has been on the road with. If so, then this would be kind of cool to see.

Every Mother’s Nightmare is a complete wild card. The singer, Rick Ruhl, and drummer Jim Phipps are the only remaining members. I like their bluesy Memphis rock, and would like to check them out.

Tora Tora on the other hand is a complete band reunion. I love their two CD’s Surprise Attack, and Wild America.
I have seen them live but it has easily been 18 years ago. They were great then, so I would imagine a solid show by this group. Hopefully their unreleased CD will see the light of day after this.

I never had the opportunity to see Black N’ Blue live, but I have all of their CD’s and would certainly want to check them out. Jamie St. James was pretty good on the last Warrant CD. I don’t know what the lineup will be for this show, but I doubt that Tommy Thayer will be part of it. Gene Simmons owns him now.

I have to admit that I have never been a Trixter fan. I always looked at this band as the New Kids on the Block
with guitars. I thought their music was a little thin back in the day, and seeing them live won’t change my opinion.

I have always liked Kix, and I have seen them live a few times. I have also seen Steve Whiteman’s other band,
Funny Money (which sounds exactly like Kix). It would be cool to hear some Kix tunes live again.

I saw Jani Lane solo in 2007, and he sounded great. I am happy that Warrant is back together again in a full reunion. I have seen them live a few times, and they always put on a good show.

Cinderella is also a band that has always put on an excellent show, each and every time I have seen them. Tom Keifer’s voice is the only thing that is a question mark about this show. The band has been off for a couple of years so I am hopeful that Tom’s voice is back to full strength.

The Sunday lineup is interesting, especially with two times slots still opened. One of these slots is heavily rumored to be Motley Crue. I am not sure of the other one, but wouldn’t be shocked to see Danger Danger get the other slot.

Sunday:
Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
TBA
Tesla
TBA

I doubt a lot of people are going to know Axe. I know the band, but I wouldn’t go out of my to see them play live. I like their tune Rock and Roll Party In the Streets, but that is about it.

Beautiful Creatures have released a couple of CD’s in this decade which is more than a lot of the bands in this music festival can say. Seeing them on the roster has me getting out my CD’s by them again. I would certainly want to check them out.

Zebra is a darkhorse in this lineup. I haven’t seen them live, but I am quite familiar with their music. This could be a good show.

Lynch Mob now features Oni Logan on vocals, Marco Mendoza on bass, Tommy Aldridge on drums, and of course George Lynch on guitar. I saw half of this band perform with Whitesnake, and would love to see this lineup in action. Tommy Aldridge is an animal on the drums, and George Lynch needs no introductions. I am interested in hearing his new Scorpion Tales album, but this is a Scorpions cover album. This is quite odd, considering that he hasn’t ever been in the band.

Tesla is the must see band on the Sunday bill. I have seen Tesla twice in the last year, and they were excellent both times. They will easily be the best band on the Sunday lineup (amongst those that have been announced so far.)

The side stages at Rocklahoma has a bunch of darkhorses, and bands that may surprise you.

I am not familar with most of the bands on the Retrospect stage, aside from: Mariah, Mass, Paul Shortino, Ron Keel, Nasty Nasty and Strikeforce. I would certainly like to
check out some of these acts, although none of these were bands were ever considered A-Listers.

The interesting thing about Stage 3 is most of these are all up and coming bands.18 year old Dario Lorina is an amazing guitar player. Look him up on you tube and watch this kid play. He is very good. Karnevil is his new band. I don’t know much about them, but with Lorina on the six string, they will be interesting.

Dirty Penny is one of the better new glam bands out there. They aren’t very original, but their new CD is pretty good.

The Gypsy Pistoleros close out Friday Night on stage three, and they are the must see band in Rocklahoma. The Flamenco twist on their upbeat glam tunes is certainly one that I would like to see.

Sweet FA is the late 80’s/early 90’s hard rock band that reunited in 2007. Their new CD, The Lost Tapes is quite good. I have seen this band live, and I know they are pretty good.

Banshee is another must see band on stage three. They are one of the heavier acts on this stage. If you haven’t heard any of their music, I recommend checking them out. They will surprise you for sure.

Gods of Kansas is a newer band that is starting to make some waves. They are currently playing a bunch of live shows all over the U.S.

Pownd is a newer heavy metal band that is located 2.5 hours down the road from me in Richmond, Kentucky.
Their newest CD is highly rated across the web. I will be reviewing this one soon.

Shadowside and Asphalt Valentine are two of Chavis Records newer bands. Shadowside has one cd out, and one
on the way. Asphalt Valentine is a hard rocking band from Atlanta, GA. Their debut will be released within
the next couple of months. (I will also be checking them out locally in two weeks).

I don’t know the other acts on this stage (Crooked X, Lipstick Magazine, Mindflow, Warmachine, and Krucible) but I will be exploring these bands in the months to come.

As a whole….Rocklahoma offers plenty of Nostalgia, but also a slew of NEW bands trying to make it in the music world. The addition of two more stages in 2008 greatly improves this event over the 2007 show.
I can only hope that I will be able to make the trek there for this show. I can’t imagine missing this event!